


Komorebi

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Bees, Demisexual Yancy, Domestic Fluff, Dragons, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Pansexual Tendo, Urban Fantasy, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, courting, courting gifts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-11-09 22:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11114004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: A jaded ex-soldier meets a Dragon that's almost lost faith in humanity. Together, the two find joy in the little things and (kinda, sorta, maybe) fall in love.





	1. There Be Dragons Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Tendo's birthday, even if it's a little late! You all can thank Steam for drawing up a thing for it and encouraging me to post. 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Dragons keep for a thousand years, they say, and truly live only one hundred years out of those thousand.

Tendo was determined to change that. He’s three hundred years over the time of his Choosing and he hadn’t found anyone worthy of his gift. Immortality was not given lightly, nor was it given to the first being who showered him in material things.

Dragons, humans and others had attempted to woo him but gave up after a decade. Tendo was beginning to despair when a human blew through his standards like a hurricane through a house.

* * *

Yancy yawned as he wove through the Markets, picking up paper for the simple gift of honey to give to the Dragon down the road like Maman had asked.

He left the gift with a small note tucked into the brown twine of the tiny package.

It read simply:

_Maman asked me to give this to you. She says you don’t like material things, having collected too many over the years. So, I figured that you at least eat and honey doesn’t go bad._

_-Cheers, Yancy_

He gave no more thought to the gift than he had previous Dragons, including the one that Raleigh was currently wooing. Yancy was good with his plants, his bees and his family. That was all he needed or wanted. What use were the gifts that Dragons bestowed on people?

Maman had asked that he fulfill his yearly quota of at least a single Dragon. So he did what she wanted, three times to say that he’d honestly tried. Yancy never expected anything to come of his small gifts.

* * *

Tendo peered inquisitively at the single jar of clover honeycomb that had been left that morning.

Each suitor often left notes and this one was no exception. To his great surprise, there was no purple prose, no flowery declaration, just a simple note explaining the purpose of it.

A reluctant suitor? Tendo hadn’t had one of those yet.

He summoned his brush and wrote a reply.

Yancy: 

Such a simple gift you brought me and yet it held more thought than all the priceless gems I have received over the years. Everyone forgets that Dragons are a people too, and yes, even that we need to eat. Thank you.

Respectfully, Honorable Lung Choi

P.S. A most excellent meal was had with the gift.

Tendo chewed on the end of the brush thoughtfully and added a blue wax seal to the reply, using the official acceptance stamp.

It was time for him to begin looking for the one of his Choosing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	2. Intrigue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will begin to alternate POVs. If that's confusing, let me know and I'll label them. 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Yancy had mail that afternoon, laid out on their old oak table after he tended to his gardens and his bees.

He washed his hands up to his elbows and frowned at the heavy parchment and thick wax seal.

It was one of three Dragons he’d left a gift for, being thorough in case his Maman had asked for a sign of his effort.

Maman practically glowed when she saw him still holding the envelope. "A reply? So soon?"

Yancy broke the seal and read, reading it again when he finished. "Just thanking me for the gift, Maman. Nothing special." 

Maman flipped it over and almost dropped the reply.

"Maman? Are you alright?" Yancy moved towards her, hands raised in case she fainted. She was very fragile health-wise and Yancy worried something awful might do her in.

"The Honorable Lung Choi has accepted your suit," she offered with a wobbly smile. “The color of the wax says that another gift will be expected in a week.”

Yancy’s jaw worked and his eyes bugged a little. Choi had accepted? It was such a tiny thing, practically meaningless, and now Yancy had a Dragon expecting him to court them. 

“What did you give the Dragons?” Maman asked as he helped her into a soft chair with a high back.

Yancy scuffed his boot at the edge of the worn carpet and muttered, “Some of my honey. Not th’ market kind.”

“The clover or the meadow flower?” She hummed as Yancy stepped behind the screen to rinse off his day’s work in the bronze tub and replace his soiled clothing with clean ones.

“Clover ‘n a piece of th’ honeycomb.” He admitted as he scrubbed under his nails.

“You don’t like giving away your honey. What changed?” She questioned as he stepped out from behind the screen, towel-covered hand still scrubbing at his hair.

“I’m really trying, Maman. I put in a decent amount of effort. Dragons are picky and I won’t hold onto the Lapierre blessing forever. So either the Honorable Lung likes me for me or they don’t. I’ll settle down after this, Maman. I promise.” Yancy sighed.

“Oh Yancy… I want you to be happy. Your brother has the little ones covered already, I think. He’s wooed that ryū for sure. Jazmine has a few years before she starts looking.” She clicked her tongue as she motioned for him to sit in front of her. Maman gently massaged his head and his hair as she continued, “It is you I worry about, hmm? So many Dragons fighting over you and then they leave after you go to war and come back with…”

Battle scars, they called them. Dragon lightning attacking human soldiers, Yancy called it. Everyone else thought they made him unfit for husbandly duties or unfit to receive a Dragon’s gift at a Choosing.

He leaned back against his Maman’s leg and enjoyed the attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	3. Gift: Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is indulgent world building, mostly. 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Tendo had hoped for a reply. An acceptance, a gift or even Yancy themselves. He was just about to give up when someone stood in front of his gate with a blue-wrapped gift in one hand. 

Oh. 

Yancy had been to the War because the other hand was bandaged to the square-tipped fingers and painfully hidden as best as Yancy could manage. 

He'd never seem someone so beautiful. Even the scars lent Yancy a dignity rather than marred his face. 

"I... apologize for the wait. I wanted t' find something that wasn't something you already had." Yancy murmured as he set the gift on the offering platform. "I'll, umm, just head on home... then." 

Tendo floated down, his weight causing the ground to shudder. He wasn't the oldest Lung in the territory for nothing, having fought several of his own battles for this spot in particular. "I should think not, Soldier. I've yet to see your gift." 

"Honorable Lung Choi," Yancy gave a respectful bow as far as his body would allow before he straightened. 

Hazel eyes widened at the sight of Tendo's scars and the enormous wooden sutra beads that wrapped around Tendo's dark neck. He delicately picked apart the blue ribbon and plucked the blue paper away to reveal a sprig of potted lavender. 

_Caution-majesty-distrust_

A well-thought-out flower for the human in front of him. 

Yancy reached as though to take it back, having remembered the last meaning of the bloom, when Tendo drew it closer to his chest with a large talon. 

"I accept your gift. A most fitting flower for our first meeting. The next should be wrapped in deep green," He gently suggested the next color as he centered the lavender on his left palm pad. "I will seek you out for your reciprocal in half-a-week's time." 

"Reciprocal?" Yancy blurted, the awed look replaced with confusion. 

"Oh yes, the Old Ways are very specific. Dragons must return the affections and tokens given with one of their own. I now owe you two such gifts." Tendo agreed with a pleased hum. "You may go if you like." 

"Thank you, Honorable Lung Choi." Yancy almost repeated the bow until Tendo caught a talon under his chin. 

"We are equals, Yancy, if this is to work. Once was respectful enough." Tendo chided softly, leaning in to huff an icy breath against Yancy's face. "Thank you for the wonderful gifts." 

"You're... welcome." Yancy glanced over his shoulder to see Tendo carefully settling the tiny plant on his window-sill. 

Yes, his choice to find the recipient of his Gift was an excellent idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	4. Gift: Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter?! Ngl, I really enjoyed writing this scene in particular because I love the visual it makes. 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Yancy's hand shook as he picked up the container of what he could smell was a salve of some kind. 

The note was tucked under the bronze filigree lid that held the waxed paper away from the healing gift. 

Yancy: 

The salve is pain-relief. I noticed your bandages and thought you might have a better use for it than I do. There is no shame in surviving a blast of lightning that should have, by all rights, stopped a human. You are stronger than you realize, suitor. 

Sincerely, 

Lung Tendo Choi 

He set aside the note to unravel the bandages and smeared a tiny bit against his throbbing skin. The relief was so instant that Yancy cried. He used the bare minimum and let the salve do it's work on everything he could reach. 

Maman applied it to the rest of his scarred skin, her efficient strokes utilizing the small amount easily. Yancy let his skin breathe, the scars still a vibrant red even after a year. 

"He sent me pain-relief, Maman, and he doesn't want anything in return except my next gift..." He said weakly as the salve did exactly what it was supposed to do. 

"I always did like him as a neighbor," She lingered as he draped himself over the ratty chaise lounge as to not get it on any of the other furniture. "Now I like him as a mother because he helped you." 

"Yeah? He's got scars. Big ones. Bite scars, claw marks... He's incredible." 

"Oh?" 

"He said that the lavender was an appropriate flower for our first meeting." He mumbled softly as he picked at the wood nearest to him out of habit. "I don't know what else I can give him." 

"Another flower from your garden, hmm? He seemed to like the last one." She pragmatically added as she held his hand in her cool ones. 

"... Yeah."

* * *

He was leaning on his hives, one finger stroking the worker bees as they wandered over his arms, when Lung Choi strolled over the gate and into his garden. 

"I trust the salve was of some help?" The enormous black dragon inquired even as the bees began to investigate, the adorable bumbling bees standing out against the luxurious fur. 

"The gift was..." Yancy gripped his left arm with his right, the few scars on his right even darker than those on his left. He didn't hide, not here in his own garden. He didnt have to. "It was very much appreciated." 

"I am glad I brought you relief. I have brought my gifts to you here. May I request my own?" Lung Choi asked as amusement colored his tone. A bumblebee had landed square on his dark muzzle and was slowly crawling up the short fur, falling back down until Yancy guided it to his finger and settled it back on the right hive. 

Yancy held out the green papered gift, worried over the reaction. The green was peeled away to reveal goldenrod, sage and a single yellow rose tucked into another tiny pot. 

_Encouragement-Esteem-Affection_

"You can call me Tendo. An unusual but delightful combination, I must admit. My gifts seem to pale in comparison to the language you use to speak to me." Tendo responded as he removed two packages of equal size and shape. "Automatons. They're powered by a wizard long gone but should help you in your work. This is Rromani and her mechanical partner Danger. They can combine to help with large tasks such as reaching high or for plucking fruit." 

He sized up the knee-height automatons and knelt to solemnly shake their servos one at a time. "Hello." 

::Hel-lo.:: Rromani beeped carefully. 

The smile that lit up Yancy's face made Tendo rumble softly. 

::Pret-ty!:: Danger beeped. ::Sun-shine.::

"My name's Yancy. D'you know what bees are?" He asked as he gently patted their shoulder pauldrons. 

::Bee-s. Flow-er. Im-por-tant.:: Rromani recited after a double tap against his hand with her servo. ::Keep. Them. You?:: 

"Yeah. I'll show you how to tend to the plants so that the bees c'n still have access without too much clutter," he explained before looking up to see Tendo's soft gaze. 

Sunlight filtered through the garden trees and dappled against Tendo's lush fur as the Lung spoke, "I had no use for them in my home but I think they'll be happy here. Thank you for accepting my gifts as well. Humans think that all they have to do is shower other Dragons and I with gifts but don't understand when we begin to return suitable ones of our own." 

"We're equal, you said. If I give you something, you must return it with something of equal value or greater. The Old Ways are still taught in the Lapierre Household. I understand," Yancy commented as he leaned against one of Tendo's large shoulders. "Flowers are only good for so long though." 

"Don't be so sure of that, Yancy. It has been years, decades since someone has thought to use such a thing to woo me to their side and offer my Gift." Tendo snorted dryly. 

"Who said I wanted your Gift?" Yancy countered with a lop-sided shrug. "I have no use for it, whatever it might be." 

"You're one of the first to tell me that." Tendo laughed, mirth shaking the enormous body. "I think I enjoy your suit as it is, so do me a favor and don't withdraw your offer." 

"You mean..." 

"We'll come to a mutually beneficial arrangement should the time come that neither of us can stand the other." Tendo admitted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	5. Interlude - Gift: Yellow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad to see that people are reading this! 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Tendo walked away from that exchange with three things; lighter two automatons, heavier with one small gift and an urgent need to speak to an old friend, one Mako Mori.

* * *

He wrote out a note, sent it off with a flicker of his power and waited for what seemed like days but was most likely an hour. A ring of his doorbell brought with it the scent of rain and rivers. 

Mako, the guardian of the town's water supply and it's only river. 

Tendo held out a cup of tea before she could ask for one. 

"Are you being wooed again?" She asked quietly after finishing off her tea. 

"I'm afraid I'm far too attached already for it to be called wooing, Mako." He sighed as he gently watered the flowers in their tiny pots. "He doesn't want my Gift. Half a millennium and it's the first time someone hasn't cared to ask what it is, demand that I should give it to them or even that they'll force me to give it to them." 

Mako rose a dark blue brow at that. They had slipped into their more human-compatible forms as practice and habit all in one. "He doesn't want immortality." 

"Doesn't even know what it is and said no thank you already," Tendo's disbelief was tempered by a small shrug. "He's a former soldier and keeps hiding his scars from me as though they're something to be ashamed of." 

"What's his name?" 

"Yancy, Yancy Lapierre-Becket." He hummed as he spun on his tip-toes to reach the other plants in his household.

"The Soldier of Lightning, they call him. He kept moving after he was struck by an enemy Dragon and he took one of its fangs for retribution with his bare, burnt hand." Mako recited. "You don't believe in picking someone a little less well-known?" 

"Is that who he is? He's sweet and shy and he likes bees. That's all I know. He'll tell me when he's ready, what it means to be a famous soldier." Tendo quietly asserted. 

"All of his suitors before were vain, young things. Perhaps it is time that he looked for someone more mature." Mako teased. Tendo stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed as she helped him with his plant collection.

* * *

He carefully dug through his hoard of unattended gifts and chanced upon a simple leather band. It was inscribed heavily with Futhark Runes and sigils that spoke of protection. A fellow Dragon, wishing him luck, had given it to him for his Chosen. 

Tendo tucked it under his sutra beads and was just about to step out to see Yancy when he found his Chosen-bandages back in place-holding a yellow package. 

"Fortuitous timing," he said as he flicked his door closed with his tail. "I was about to come see you." 

"I don't know how forward this is but would you like to get a drink together?" Yancy questioned as the package shifted from hand-to-hand. 

"A drink we can do. Mead or ale?" Tendo's whiskers quivered at the thought of spending personal time with his Chosen. "Would you prefer if I switched forms?" 

"Mead." Yancy's tiny smile reached his eyes, the hazel sparkling in the light of the sunset. "If you want."

"It's about time I showed it." He confessed. 

Transforming took a single breath and then Tendo was looking up at Yancy from under his lashes. This was the fully human form, complete with the clothing he'd first transformed with, the flowing daopao and pants a contrast to Yancy's more modern fashion of a long hooded shirt with tapered ends, cargo pants and boots. 

"Oh." Yancy breathed out, his fingers brushing the thick silk reverently. 

"That drink still on the table?" Tendo ribbed as Yancy snapped out of it with a flush. 

"Yes. I'm sorry." 

"Don't be; I appreciate the opportunity to get to know you." He replied. "And please, ask as many questions as you like."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	6. Gift: Yellow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More cutesy fic for you~ I am in a fantastic mood! 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

Tendo... Oh gods and Dragons above, Tendo was incredibly handsome. The Lung's eyes were bewitching from underneath golden powdered lids and a wicked cat's eye that only accentuated already gorgeous features. 

Yancy felt out of place next to him but Tendo wandered into a bar like he owned the place and ordered two pints of mead easily. 

They sat down and Yancy fiddled with the package nervously, the yellow paper fraying as he picked at the tape. 

"Right. Umm, this is for you." He handed it off before he could ruin the gift entirely. Yancy took a drink of mead, watching Tendo peel off the paper just as carefully as he did in Lung form over the rim of the glass. 

The wooden prayer beads shone brightly in the dim setting of the bar and glittered as Tendo rolled them between his fingers slowly. 

"These are well-made. I'm detecting a hint of power behind it though." Tendo murmured as he took his own drink, practically stunning the rest of the bar while he did so. 

Yancy's smile came unbidden and he reached forward to explain. "I carved them out of our fallen oak. A storm got to it an', well, I figured the wood wouldn't go to waste if I made a gift out of it. I had another Dragon coax them into matching your size. I hope you don't mind." 

"Again, your gift is meaningful and I will have use of it no matter the form." came the thoughtful response. "I brought yours with me as well." Tendo produced a thick leather braclet from the folds of his outfit. Intricate carvings filled nearly the entire piece as Tendo handed it over. "This will protect you from any future harm. Draw your finger across the band and I will be summoned to your side, though I hope that you'll only use that feature for emergencies." 

Yancy pulled up his sleeve and slid it onto his left arm, surprised when Tendo gently tied it flush to his wrist. "There, uh, anything else I need to know about it?" 

"It's waterproof and only you or I can take it off now." 

"Thanks." He expressed his gratitude and hesitated before he pulled his hand away. Tendo was absently drawing circles over his forearm and it felt nice. "So, what is it you do, actually?" 

"I defend the town from other Dragons, with the exception of..."

* * *

Yancy sprawled across his bed, his arms bare save for the bracelet and Raleigh pillowing his head on Yancy's equally bare chest. 

"Rals? What's it like, being wooed by a ryū?" He muttered after a yawn. 

"Same as being wooed by a Lung, I think. They shower you in gifts and want your attention." His baby brother answered. 

"You seen Mako's human form yet?" Yancy blurted. 

"Yeah," The noise Raleigh made meant only one thing; all Dragons were ridiculously cute. "She's got this ornate kimono and obi knot that looks badass. What about Tendo?" 

"My heart stopped for a minute, Rals, not gonna lie. He's gorgeous and he wears this red and blue daopao and a ribbon that sets off his hair..." He sighed happily. 

"Man, we got that thing... Y'know the one Maman is forever swearing came from the Becket side?" Raleigh whined as he flopped over Yancy to cuddle closer. 

"Yeah, th' Becket Special. We got it _baaaad_ , baby bro." Yancy admitted with a shrug of his good shoulder. "We've met four times and he's amazing every time I see him." 

"Mako's amazing too. She's got this workshop that's huge and she works on so many projects at the same time," So she'd caught Raleigh's more mechanical side. Oh boy. "I gave her one of my little music boxes. She wrote back within the hour, asking me how I got the parts so tiny and working so cohesively." 

"Tendo said that people forget that Dragons are people too." Yancy hummed. 

"Yeah."

* * *

Yancy hadn't gone out in public without his bandages in years. He could let loose in his garden because the shrubbery in front of the gates and the trees along the path allowed for privacy. 

«Hello?~ Yancy, I was just dropping by to visit your Maman! She told me you were out here-Oh!» Cousin Yvette sing-songed before she saw Yancy lounging in Tendo's grip as he checked the tiny apples of his garden. "Hello Monsieur Dragon!" 

"Tendo, c'n you set me down?" Yancy asked. 

"Hello." Tendo placed him gently on the ground with one of his whiskers and stood in the shade of Yancy's trees. "Of course." 

«Yvette, I missed you.» He hugged her close, breathing in the sunshine and wildflower smell of herself and her favorite soap. «This is my Lung, Tendo.» 

«Oh! You are wooing someone again. It's good to see you out and in the sun Yancy.» Cousin Yvette said as she pulled back to look at him, her dark brown eyes almost the same as Tendo's. «A lot changes in five years.»

«I know. I'd like to think this change is a good one.» Yancy commented as he smiled up at Tendo. 

«Shoo, go back to your pretty dragon. I'll be staying most of the week anyway. We can catch up then.» Yvette pushed him back towards Tendo with a knowing smile. «Go on.» 

She left the garden and Tendo picked his way through the greenery to offer his arm again. Yancy clambered up as they picked up where they left off. 

"Before you ask, that was Cousin Yvette. She's been my best friend since I was eight. I think you two would get along nicely." Yancy said as he checked the other trees for any early fruiting. "Tendo?" 

"You said that I was your Lung." Tendo responded quietly. 

Oh. He had claimed him, right there in front of blood family, like it was as easy as breathing. 

"I can take it back. I... didn't realize-" Yancy started back-tracking when Tendo purred, the sound rumbling through Yancy's body. 

"I am perpetually delighted by you, Yancy, and your insistence that you aren't good enough for me hurts. You are more than worthy of any attention I may shower you in, worthy of much more than I can grant you in any single moment." Tendo praised. Yancy blushed and buried his face against Tendo's lush fur. 

They stayed together that way until Yancy's stomach growled like the ravenous beast it was, demanding breakfast.


	7. Gift: Orange and Reciprocal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm being a naughty bean and posting during finals. 
> 
> Enjoy!~

* * *

Tendo had been purring non-stop since Yancy had laid out his claim to blood family. He'd stolen Yancy away to feed him breakfast and slipped into his half-form, prompting a noise of what sounded like distress from Yancy. 

"I can change back-" 

"No!" Yancy flailed and stopped just short of Tendo's smaller form. "Ummm, are Dragons this cute all the time?" The high spots of color on Yancy's cheek made Tendo's purr even louder. 

"You think I'm cute?" He rumbled as he reached up to cup Yancy's cheek. 

"B-breath-taking," Yancy gasped while leaning into the touch and doing the human equivalent of a rumble himself. 

Tendo flicked his fingers so that breakfast would cook itself as he gently guided Yancy to wrap around him, his tail fluffing in delight as Yancy took to petting the base of it hesitantly with his fingers. 

"Flattery will get you a lot," Tendo admitted as he smiled. 

"Nngh." Yancy buried his face against Tendo's neck, inhaling with a happy sigh. "I... have your orange gift." 

"Come. Breakfast will be ready when we are." He answered as they swayed to the couch. Tendo sat first, drawing Yancy into his lap. Yancy fumbled and pulled out an astonishingly smaller orange box. "What is it?" 

"Mm-mm. Can't spoil it." came the stubborn reply. 

Tendo kept one hand steadying Yancy as he peeled open the gift slowly with the other. 

"Oh." Tendo gently plucked out a exquisite music box made with tiny scrollwork and even a small, incredibly detailed inlay of what looked like a honeycomb. "When did you make this?" 

"I started after you gave me Rromani and Danger," Yancy took the box and turned the key before setting it back on Tendo's palm, the gentle melody one Tendo knew very well. "I tried to get it right." 

"Butterfly lovers, hmm?" He prodded. 

"I'm lucky Maman has perfect pitch." came the wry response. "We went through three rolls of thin steel before she was satisfied." 

Breakfast floated into their moment, popping the bubble of intimacy as it bumped against Yancy's head. Ah well.

* * *

Tendo started on his own gift, bolts of cream and green silk spread across his floor. He drew out the pattern and the clothing made itself to Yancy's measurements. It could be adjusted if necessary, as Yancy's broad shoulders might strain the traditional pattern. 

A knock had Tendo looking over his shoulder to see Mako hiding her smile in the sleeve of her kimono. 

"Clothes?" She questioned. "For a music box?" 

"Kuzhe based on Mongolian hunting outfits, actually. My traditional clothes but a matching set in colors that would look good on him. Yancy's much more active than I am in my human form. It's not the only thing I have planned." Tendo fired back absently, pointing to the weapons set that he'd painstakingly created from his memories. 

"Oh. These are from the Ming-Tendo, you sly Lung. Are you dropping hints about your age?" She teased. 

"Maybe? I'm tired of having to explain that just because I'm a Lung, it doesn't mean I've been around forever; just a long time." Tendo shrugged as he completed the outfit with soft boots that curled a little at the tips. "Not that Yancy would even ask-He's too polite sometimes." 

"You've encountered it too? The Becket politeness... I wish Raleigh would be less polite and more honest." Mako grumbled. 

"Agreed."

* * *

Yancy accepted the package, the orange curly ribbons bouncing as he picked at the tape. 

"Yancy," he started and then growled. 

"Tendo?" 

"I'm a Dragon, not a Diety. Rip the damn paper." He finished. 

His Chosen blinked and then his eyes widened in understanding. Yancy grinned as he let the paper fly, the glossy green silk a sharp contrast. 

"What is it?" He held it up to himself and the garment slipped on. "Uhhhh, is it supposed to do that, Tendo?" 

"I'm making sure it fits your shoulders—" Tendo admitted, the creak of well-woven silk telling him he'd made the right choice to leave more fabric to unwind. "Mostly because you've got broad ones." 

"It's resewing itself!" Yancy's delight as the garment came apart at the seams and added in more fabric made Tendo purr. His Chosen brought out his softer side, the way he was enamored with things that Tendo would never think to look at a beauty all on its own. "It fits much better. Thank you." Yancy paused and then muttered, "Oh fuck this," He leaned down and hesitated. "Can I kiss you?" 

Tendo reached up and drew Yancy the rest of the way down, the first press of lips chaste. Yancy pulled away for a brief moment then dove back in with enthusiasm as he licked into Tendo's mouth. Tendo gave into the sensation, his thoughts warm and hazy for the first time in years. 

He forgot the heavy weight of the world and concentrated on how Yancy made tiny, desperate noises as they kissed. 

When they moved away to breathe, Yancy started to pull back physically. Tendo rumbled lowly with a warning. "Yancy, you are worthy of everything I give; whether this is affection, attention or my desire to take care of you is both my choice and your own." 

"I'm not experienced!" Yancy blurted out, the scent of shame flaring up. "I'm n-not some lothario. I tried. I chased skirts an' suits an' Dragons an' none of them made me feel like you do."

Tendo surprised himself by crooning and slipping into his taller half-form to hold Yancy close. "Never attempted anything below the waist, hmm?" 

"Didn't feel right." came the muffled reply. "That's not good." 

"When I spoke of our being equal, Yancy, I meant it. If kissing is all you wish, then that is all we will do. A Courting does not have strict rules aside from consensual replies and gifts." Tendo reassured gently. "When you gave me your orange gift, were you comfortable?" 

"Yeah. I enjoyed that. All the other times, I was okay. This's new to me. I like what we did, I want to do it again but I'm not sure how far I want to take it physically. Don't you need a Chosen?" Yancy added quietly. 

"I've already made my choice." Tendo confessed. 

"... Me? I'm just a washed-up soldier. What could I possibly do with your Gift?" the fierce and caustic rebuttal only confirmed Tendo's decision had been the right one. 

"It is that very statement that proves your ability to use it well. I grant immortality." Tendo supplied. 

"Just once?" Yancy's hopeful tone made Tendo snort. 

"Multiple instances may be granted." 

"Oh. That's terrible." Hazel eyes looked up to see Tendo's expression had soured. "How long have you had it?" 

"Five hundred years, give or take." He shrugged. "I wasn't always a Lung."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


	8. Gift: Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not abandoned this, I swear! I finally managed to wrestle the PacRim Muses back from their vacation and got this~ 
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

"Five hundred-What?! _What do you mean you haven't always been a Dragon?_ " Yancy yelped from where he was being held against a warm chest. 

"Dragons were human once, however briefly. In the Ming Dynasty, very few scholars were given a pearl about the size of our palms. We were told to give it affection as best we knew and that if any of us managed to make them grow, we were to report it immediately." Tendo admitted, the long hair sliding forward over Tendo's shoulder. "I kept mine with me at all times. I sang to it, carefully washed it and slept with it curled tight to my chest." 

Yancy practically cooed at the imagined sight of Tendo caring for something the size of a large egg. 

"The others were... careless. One cracked because it was thrown, another shattered because it had been placed in the fire and mine was the only one to safely make it to the limit they'd given us. When the Lung arrived to see which of her eggs had survived... She was furious." Tendo shivered briefly at the memory. 

His horns gleamed in the afternoon sun, the full effect of Tendo's unintentional beauty nearly dazing Yancy into a stupor. 

"What happened?" He asked in a hushed tone. 

"I did something incredibly stupid." 

Yancy slapped his hand over his face and muttered, "Of _course_ you did." 

"I came out of the school holding the bag with my pearl, the one that I'd taken care of like it was a human child, pleading with the Lung to spare them. She had lightning on her breath and had every right to destroy the building and everyone in it." He continued. "She stopped. Ready for a full-on frontal assault and she stopped to look me in the eyes. She gently took the pouch from me, made the loudest sound of joy I'd ever heard in my life and kidnapped me." 

"That... That must have been terrifying." 

Tendo laughed. "It was incredibly terrifying. She set me down in her den, called for another Lung and they cooed over the size of the pearl. When she turned to me, she spoke in my father's dialect. She said, 'This is your egg. You nurtured it more than we could have hoped for from brash humans. We thought scholars above reproach and so thought to place our eggs amongst them to seek out new Lungs. Would you like to become one of us?' I was floored. I knew how Lung were made. Hand-picked from the best of the best, she'd implied. I did what any person would do... I fainted." 

Yancy turned to look at Tendo, the Lung's expression fond and nostalgic as he told his story. 

"Who was she?" 

"The Lung? That was Pang So-Yi and her Drift, An Yuna. Yuna would've set the school ablaze and kidnapped me too. Lungs can sense their eggs when they've grown past the palm size and mine was big enough for me to hug it as I slept." His Lung admitted. 

"What's a Drift?" Yancy asked as he dug around for his red gift. "Is it important?" 

"Drifts... They're special. You can have more than one but each connection is unique and everlasting. Drifts get through to your soul. I guess humans would call them soulmates." Tendo caught on that he was presenting his gift. "Is that for me?" 

"Yeah. I'd like to hear the rest of your story though, if that's alright with you." He hummed as the red paper was peeled away to reveal the fang Yancy had taken from the Dragon that burnt him. 

"This must be proof of your strength." Tendo handed it back and carefully folded Yancy's fingers around the serrated fang. "You've proven your strength to me so often I don't need a physical item for your red gift." 

"You're not rejecting my red gift, just the fang?" Yancy questioned for clarification. 

"Just the fang, yes. That is yours to keep. I cannot take a Right of Conquest." The serious way Tendo said it made Yancy curious. 

"... Is that why all of my Dragon neighbors were giving me the side-eye?" He murmured. 

"Most likely. A Right of Conquest can be forged into a powerful weapon against the previous owner of the object. The fang is now imbued with the way to kill the Dragon you took it from." Tendo informed him and Yancy suddenly looked at the fang in a new light. "Who did you take that from?" 

"... He said his name was Leatherback." Yancy offered as he wrapped it back up in plain white paper that Tendo gave to him and tucked it away. 

"Leatherback is no fool; his blast _should_ have killed you." came the assessment. 

"My family... Well, on Maman's side anyway, we've got a Blessing. It fades after we turn thirty but it's kept a lot of the Lapierre's alive over the years," He hummed as Tendo glided over to the couch to cuddle with him. "Mine is running out. I've got a few more years and then it leaves. I don't know if previous injuries blocked by the Blessing will reappear." 

Tendo inhaled sharply at that. "You mean to say..." 

"I have no clue if I get to live past my thirtieth birthday." Yancy sighed. "I'm trying to enjoy our time together, trying to let this run on it's own but I'm finding myself... wishing for more time. Just enough to see you wake up in the morning with pillow creases on your cheek or your whiskers tangled into a mess." 

"Yancy..." The ache in Tendo's voice made Yancy shuffle to see deep brown eyes filled with unshed tears. "I would give it to you in a heartbeat if that was what you wanted."

* * *

Tendo left the following morning, giving Yancy a kiss everytime he asked for one and indulged Yancy when he asked for one right at the gate. "I'll be back, hopefully with your red gift and a solution to your problem. The Dragon Moot should help." 

"Good luck, my Lung." Yancy breathed out, swiping at his tears with the heel of his hand. 

Tendo crooned and reached over the fence to cradle his face. "I don't need luck, ashao, when I have you." 

"Take me with you." He blurted out. 

"Well..." Tendo paused in his self-appointed task of wiping Yancy's tears away. "There aren't exactly any rules saying you _can't_ bring a human. Dragons are all about rules, y'know, and there isn't one for this." 

Yancy laughed wetly as Tendo transformed and set him on the broad, dark shoulders that felt familiar under his fingers. "I'd say that's your yes." 

"Of course it is," Tendo rumbled. Yancy buried his face in the thick mane to inhale Tendo's smell of petrichor, green things and honey. "Hold on tight!" 

After Tendo took off, Yancy looked around and grinned with tear tracks drying on his face as the wind played with his hair.

* * *

The flight was incredibly long and Yancy stumbled off of Tendo with sore thighs and a faint headache. 

"We're stopping for the night-Oh, there you go." Tendo caught him and lowered him onto a pile of pillows and blankets. "Can I massage your thighs? Strictly to keep you from stiffening up and being in pain for the rest of the ride, I promise." 

"Yes," Yancy's thighs parted on their own, the heavy twinge painful and not at all appreciated. " _please_." 

Tendo's fingers made slow but definite progress as they soothed the soreness in his legs and lower back. Yancy practically melted into a puddle on the pillows, noises of deep satisfaction leaving him as Tendo put pressure on the knots and undid them. 

"There we go, all relaxed. Comfy?" 

Yancy rolled over and pillowed his head against Tendo's thigh. "Mmm. How're your shoulders? I was on them for a while." 

"Yancy, you weigh at a maximum, what, a hundred and seventy?" 

"Hundred and eighty-five," he mumbled as Tendo carded his fingers through Yancy's windswept hair. 

"I can carry another dragon on my back and they start at a ton and only get heavier. You're practically a feather." Tendo chuckled softly. "Dinner?" 

"Sounds nice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


End file.
